Take a Look at Your Calendar
Whenever my schedule gets hectic, my first move is always to organize my activities and deadlines on a calendar. Seeing my schedule in one neatly, organized manner helps me to remain focused on upcoming commitments and to make a plan of action.
For those who don’t already take advantage of calendars, please do! I’m a loyal user of Google Calendar, but find whatever system works for you (ie: a book planner, calendar on your phone, etc.).
Prioritize Your Commitments
Once you have created your calendar, go through each of your commitments and categorize each of them as either “really important”, “not-so-important”, or “ready to let go.” Ask yourself, “Are these opportunities where I can still receive growth, or have I hit a wall?” If you find that your schedule is way overbooked, it’s time to make some cuts.
Now, before you go down that dark path of feeling like a quitter, let’s look at this from a different perspective! In his blog post, titled, “Time to quit?” author and speaker, Seth Godin, explains to his readers that as we leave behind old jobs and enter into new ones, we have the opportunity to “reinvent ourselves.” Godin gives an example and writes, “No one in the new company will remember young Doug from 10 years ago. No, they’ll treat Doug as the new Doug, the Doug with endless upside and little past.”
Just like Godin points out- as we become more accustomed to the idea of change and its role in our careers, letting go of commitments that can no longer serve us well will become easier. If you have more questions, check out this interview where Seth Godin shares key insight from his book, The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick).
Learn When to Say “Yes” or “No”
Actress and comedian, Tina Fey, believes that one of her main reasons for success is the way in which she has approached new opportunities- always say yes. But even as a yes-doer, Fey is still aware of that fine line. In a story that she wrote for Oprah’s site, she shares:
“There are limits of reason to this idea of saying yes to everything, but when I meet someone whose first instinct is “No, how can we do that? That doesn’t seem possible,” I’m always kind of taken aback. Almost anyone would say, “It’s Friday at two in the morning. We don’t have an opening political sketch. We can’t do it.” Yeah, of course you can. There’s no choice. And even if you abandon one idea for another one, saying yes allows you to move forward.”
When new opportunities come about, ask yourself questions such as, “Is it worth it, even if I fail?” “Will it contribute to my personal life or career?,” and “Do I have the time and motivation to do this?” If any of these questions seem conflicting with your present schedule, gracefully say “no” and wait for the next best opportunity.
RELATED: Important Questions to Ask Yourself at the Beginning of Your Career
Finally, if you do end up saying no, make sure that it’s for the right reasons. Fey also shares on Oprah’s site:
“A couple of times I’ve been called on to do things—jobs or whatever—where I’ve felt, maybe I’m not quite ready. Maybe it’s a little early for this to happen to me. But the rules are so ingrained. “Say yes, and you’ll figure it out afterward” has helped me to be more adventurous. It has definitely helped me be less afraid.”
Remember, fear is not a valid reason to turn down a great opportunity. Everyone has regrets about opportunities that they have surpassed, which is okay, because life is all about learning. As long as we take on our current commitments with a fervent heart and learn when it is time to say “yes” or “no,” we will find that more and more opportunities will continue to materialize.
